Loading the Dex! (Japanese: よロトしく、ボク、ロトム図鑑ロト！Hello, Roto, I'm the Rotom Pokédex, Roto!) is the third episode of the Sun & Moon series, and the 942nd episode of the Pokémon anime. It first aired in Japan on November 24, 2016 as a one-hour special alongside SM004, in Canada on April 1, 2017, in the United Kingdom on April 13, 2017, and in the United States on May 13, 2017.

Contents

Blurb

Professor Kukui has a gift to help Ash get started in the Alola region. It’s an unusual Pokédex that’s inhabited by the Pokémon Rotom—a Rotom Dex!

Team Rocket is just getting started in Alola, too, and their first meeting with a new Pokémon turns frightening when a mysterious Mimikyu draws Meowth into a nightmare. But when they encounter Ash and his classmates, Mimikyu decides to battle on Team Rocket’s side—until an enormous Bewear grabs Jessie and James and carries them off.

Ash is a little disappointed that he couldn’t catch Mimikyu, but he soon sets off in search of more new Pokémon!

Plot

Team Rocket lands at an airport in the Alolaregion. They recall when Giovanni showed them several images of Pokémon exclusive to the region, back at the Team Rocket HQ. As Giovanni spoke, Meowth vows to replace Persian as the boss' favorite Pokémon. Giovanni instructs the trio to go to Alola and capture Pokémon he has not seen before. At Professor Kukui's house, he hands the Pokédex to Ash. They head into Kukui's laboratory. After pressing some buttons on his computer, the lights in the lab start to flicker. Ash wonders what is going on as Professor Kukui tells him to wait and see. A Rotom comes out of a wall socket and starts to venture around the lab. After a while, Rotom charges into the Pokédex, activating it. Rotom scans the area and detects Ash. After greeting the Rotom, Ash becomes surprised that it replied. Professor Kukui requests Rotom to help Ash on his journey. Rotom Pokédex understands and begins to boot up, telling Ash that it is equipped with an assortment of languages to communicate with people. Despite this, it doesn't understand Ash's use of the word "awesome", but Professor Kukui soon explains what it means. Professor Kukui introduces himself and explains that Ash and Pikachu are staying at his place. Ash also introduces his Pikachu to Rotom. Rotom takes pictures of Pikachu and Rockruff and explains that it has a self-learning capability, which Ash does not fully understand. The Pokédex introduces its full name to Ash, which Ash becomes confused with the name. Rotom asks Ash to simply called it Rotom, and Ash tells it to call him by "Ash". Ash asks Rotom Pokédex to provide information on Pikachu, which it does, and pulls on Pikachu's tail to test it. This results in Pikachu using Thunderbolt to shock everyone. In a forest, Bewear is walking about and hears the bushes rustle as a Mimikyu emerges. Bewear looks at Mimikyu before moving on.

Litten passes by the Pokémon School and watches Komala sleeping on a tree before moving on. In the classroom, Ash introduces Rotom Pokédex to his classmates and they introduce themselves. Lillie is amazed to see a Pokédex with a Rotom inside, whilst Sophocles wants to dismantle Rotom to examine its programming, which Rotom quickly refuses. When Samson Oak arrives with Professor Kukui, Ash introduces Rotom to the principal of the school. Rotom becomes confused by Samson's greetings. Mallow explains that he is saying hello, and that he likes to use Pokémon puns when talking. Rotom Pokédex soon understands and begins making a few puns of its own. Professor Kukui starts the lesson by saying that it will be about field work, and suggests to Ash that now that he has his Pokédex, he should catch a wild Pokémon, which leaves everyone excited. Professor Kukui says it should be a new challenge for Ash and he will Destiny Bond them to help him out. Rotom starts to describe Destiny Bond's effect, and reassures that they could count on it for information on Pokémon. The group heads out into the forest.

In the forest, Team Rocket are exploring and plan to catch the first Pokémon they see, but as they left Gourgeist and Inkay back at the headquarters, it will be up to Meowth and Wobbuffet to battle Pokémon. Looking around the forest, Jessie finds it creepy and that a ghost may appear out of nowhere. Upon finishing her sentence, the grass starts to rustle and a Pokémon jumps out of it. Team Rocket starts to scream until a Mimikyu lands on the ground. They mistake it for Pikachu and becomes scared when its costume falls down slightly, but Meowth spots that it isn't actually a Pikachu. Hearing Mimikyu's laughter, it creeps Meowth and Wobbuffet out. James asks what Mimikyu is saying, but he refuses to translate it as he thinks it is too scary. Jessie says it actually looks kind of cute and decides to catch it, throwing Meowth at it. As Meowth gets closer, he uses Fury Swipes but it has no effect on the Mimikyu. Meowth becomes afraid of what Mimikyu is saying and orders it to take off its Pikachu get-up. Meowth looks under its rag and promptly faints. Meowth finds himself walking in a long tunnel and wonders where he is before spotting a light in the distance. He runs towards it and sees a Gardevoir, Lopunny, and Glaceon which he begins to chase after them, having fallen in love with them, unaware that they are illusions caused by a Gastly, Haunter and Gengar. Meanwhile, Jessie and James are trying to wake Meowth up. In Meowth's trance, the Pokémon all disappear and he starts to fall below. Jessie and James throw buckets of water on Meowth, waking him up. He thanks them for bringing him back and explains what happened. They all look at Mimikyu in anxiety and run away when a nearby bush rustle. Ash and his classmates are walking into the forest, becoming increasingly excited on encountering a Pokémon in the forest.

Team Rocket notices them and their Pokémon and decides to use the opportunity to capture all their Pokémon, along with the Pokémon they will be capturing in the region. The group of students spot Mimikyu, but when Mimikyu sees Pikachu, it makes it unhappy. Lillie recognizes it as being a Mimikyu from a book that she read, but Rotom interrupts her to provide information. Meowth overhears the information about a scholar who looked under a Mimikyu's rag passing away and realizes how lucky he was, as James notices the Pokédex moving by itself. Ash decides to try and catch Mimikyu and has Pikachu use Iron Tail which hits, but Kiawe is surprised that it does no damage. Mimikyu strikes back with Play Rough before attacking with Shadow Claw. Seeing how strong Mimikyu is, Ash orders an Electro Ball. Mimikyu reflects the attack back to Pikachu with its tail, although Pikachu manages to dodge it. Jessie is impressed by Mimikyu's strength and decides to catch it, much to Meowth's horror. As Ash prepares to order Pikachu to attack, Team Rocket reveals themselves and recite their motto, which Rotom Pokédex takes their organization's name literally. Rotom becomes surprised to see a talking Meowth and starts taking pictures of him. None of Ash's classmates have heard of Team Rocket, but Ash explains that they are bad guys who steal Pokémon. Team Rocket exclaims that they did not know why Ash is in Alola, but they intend to take all of their Pokémon along with Mimikyu. With few Pokémon to use, Meowth goes to battle Pikachu with Fury Swipes as Pikachu attacks with Electro Ball. As the Electro Ball is about to hit, it is deflected by Mimikyu's Shadow Ball, saving Meowth from being hit. Jessie realizes that Mimikyu is helping them out, but this isn't the case as Meowth explains that Mimikyu has a deep hatred towards Pikachu. Jessie allows Mimikyu to attack and it begins to launch another Shadow Ball. Jessie and James are ecstatic about what is going on, however, the Bewear appears behind Jessie and James and carries them away. Rotom Pokédex informs Ash of what Bewear is, and Ash remembers encountering it before. Meowth tells Mimikyu to stop Bewear and help save Jessie and James, which Mimikyu reluctantly does, and they chase after them. Ash is disappointed at not catching Mimikyu, but Lillie says there are lots of Pokémon around. Ash and his classmates set off to find more Pokémon in the forest.

During the first airing on TV Tokyo as one-hour special viewers could take part in a four-characters keyword quiz, in which ten viewers could win a New Nintendo 3DS XL Pikachu Edition and copies of Pokémon Sun and Moon. The first character was も.

Errors

When Sophocles runs out the door of the school with the gang, his Togedemaru goes through the wall.

Dub edits

The Japanese text used in Team Rocket's motto is edited out in the US and International dub. The Korean and Thai dubs use their own text.

In the Brazilian dub, when Professor Kukui talks about field work, Mallow's line is mistranslated as, "Eu amo fogos de artifício", making the line unrelated to the context.

In the Swedish dub, when Meowth is asked to translate what Mimikyu is saying, he says he does not dare to say it out loud. In the English dub, Meowth breaks the fourth wall by stating that it's a family show.